Newly signed bill allows pilot program for CA community colleges to offer some bachelor's degrees

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a new bill that will allow community colleges to offer bachelor's degrees as part of a pilot program.

"We figure that the entire four year program can be done for about $10,000, which is about a third of the cost of CSU degrees," said Sen. Marty Block D-San Diego.

Block authorized the bill. He says the new law isn't designed to steal students away from the Cal State or UC systems.

In fact, the four-year degrees that will be offered at community colleges will be highly specialized vocational fields.

"These are going to be degrees that aren't currently offered at the UC or CSU, degrees like in health fields, degrees in automotive technology, veterinary technology, degrees where there's real workforce demand," Block said.

California's community colleges are home to roughly 2.5 million students, with many aiming for a two-year associate's degrees. Some community college students are questioning the value of the pilot program and whether it's really needed.

"We already have Everest, Westwood, and so many other ones out there that you already could do that," said Geovanni Hernandez, a student at Valley Community College.

Odds are slim that the bachelor's degree pilot program will end up at a school near you. The pilot program is only going to be offered at no more than 15 of the 112 community colleges in California. In addition, each of the chosen schools can only offer one type of bachelor's degree.

But some community college students say it's a step in the right direction.

"I think some of us would like some of the other degrees as well, more broad scoped instead of just some of the specific, more niche jobs," said Matt Piper, a student at L.A. Valley College.

The pilot program is slated to start in January and will last through 2023. At that point, legislators and school officials will look at the program and decide if it needs to be expanded or disbanded.